6 Natural Sweeteners

For the last three and half years I’ve been teaching Raw and Healthy Chocolate and Desserts Workshops. They evolved out of my own desire to eat without guilt, upsetting my digestive process, or overdosing my hormones on sugar.

They’ve been tremendously popular over the years and I’ve had a fantastic time teaching people how to make and eat more real food.

I believe that everyone deserves to enjoy their food in the healthiest way for their own unique bodies.

Whether you avoid gluten, wheat, dairy and sugar out of necessity or choice, these workshops were designed so that no one has to feel like they’re missing out simply because they eat a certain way.

Sugar, hormones and weight are topics I spend a lot of time educating about in my workshops.

I find so many people just don’t know how the foods they’re eating are affecting their mind and bodies in unhealthful ways.

With all the focus on sugar lately (I love That Sugar Film and That Sugar Book!) it’s a great place to start in making healthy substitutes with real nutrients.

You don’t need the white, bleached and highly processed sugar to sweeten your coffee or bake in your cakes when there are so many natural versions to substitute.

Here are my favourite natural sweeteners that are full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids.

You’ll get a dose of nutrition without compromising on taste or adding empty calories to your waistline – the perfect replacements for all your baking and creating needs!

Coconut sugar

Made from boiling the sap of cut flower buds off the coconut palm, coconut sugar can come in granular form (a hint of caramel), or liquid (more of a fruity flavour).

Rapadura

Also known as panela and jaggery, rapadura has a unique caramel flavour and golden colour. It’s only slightly sweeter than coconut sugar, so you can use both interchangeably.

Raw honey

Raw honey is not heated above 45 degrees and therefore contains organic acids, all nine essential amino acids (and non-essentials except for glutamine and asparagine), 31 minerals, vitamins, and numerous polyphenols and flavonoids. Because it’s real, nutrient dense and natural, a little goes a long way!

Medjool Dates

Medjool dates contain a long list of vitamins and a bountiful amount of minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and manganese. They are sweet, sticky and the perfect substitute for sugar in raw protein balls, brownies, cheesecake bases and smoothies. Delicious when sliced open and filled with nut butter, cashew cream or warm raw chocolate!

Pure Maple syrup

Be grade pure maple syrup is a good source of zinc and manganese, and although a far better option than white sugar or refined honey, is best combined with other natural sweeteners to enhance the flavour without using a large amount.

Fruit

It might sound boring and perhaps even obvious, but fruit is unprocessed, natural and full of fibre. What’s not to love!

Now you have six healthy, delicious and more nutritious forms of natural ‘sweetness’; the perfect replacements to refined, processed, addictive and “poisonous” sugars.

BONUS – I do also use sugar free Rice Malt Syrup in place of maple syrup and raw honey for fructose free 🙂

Learn more about how to use them in creating healthier versions of your favourite desserts in my Healthy Chocolate Delights eBook filled with over 60 whole food, nutrient dense recipes!

About Viki

Viki Thondley is a Brain-Body Wellness Specialist and qualified Holistic Counsellor, Meditation Therapist, Wellness Coach and Eating Psychology expert who inspires women to rewire their mindset from dieting and restriction to whole-self nourishment, self-care and whole food healing. Recovered from bulimia nervosa and the many years of hormonal imbalances, food prison and self-sabotaging behaviours’, Viki is an inspiring speaker and passionate coach who empowers clients with self-love, internal happiness, body confidence and real food freedom.

She is author of “Achieving Your Wellness: Create a Life You Love” and “Healthy Chocolate Delights: Real Food Sweet Treats”.